Intoxicating Aroma
by leey
Summary: Sei, a video game hater, finds herself fading away in both the game and the real world. Time is running out, and the only cure to fix this problem is deletion.


Dot Hack Fanfiction-

Disclaimer- I do not own Dot hack in any way, only my OC's.

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_I never really had played a video game. Maybe it was the fact that I **hated** them. All they really were were pixels on a stupid damn screen. Nothing enjoyable about that. Personally, I'd rather read a good book or maybe draw. Well I'm not that great of an artist, but its fun I guess. Funner than a pathetic video game._

_If you must know, I am a nerd, a bookworm, geek, or whatever you call a socially low person. I don't exactly associate with my so called "friends", or ease drop on conversations, although I may "accidentally" let in on something interesting._

_"The World." A super popular game that I've heard so many times. News, chattering people, it was everywhere. Like a disease that wouldn't stop spreading. It was what some would call. A virus._

_The thing is, after hearing about "The World", my mistake came in play, and it couldn't be reversed._

Act one : Mistake

_Intoxicating aroma._

Beautiful cherry blossom trees were blooming. Soft pink petals falling from its branches. It was spring and the remaining snow that barley blanketed the rest of the ground started to dissolve, ice crystals thawing.

The foggy roads were dangerous. Cars would zoom past as if you didn't exist, and when your about cross one, they'd take account that nobody's crossing and drive the car along not knowing that they had almost injured a precious memory. A person. A family member. Pet. Stranger. Loved one. Maybe even your boss at work.

"Damn!" Her hands rubbed up and down her arms on her fuzzy like coat. It was still cold in the spring, and the sun had yet to make it's rays touch down onto the earth. Thus, it was still winter, or possibly a really cold start on spring. The girl tugged around on her powdery blue colored scarf, which was wrapped around her neck. While she adjusted her scarf, she moved some loose strands of her brown hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear.

She could hear her own footsteps from the small crunching noise that came below her feet. If she had looked behind her, she would of saw small footprints that would be trailing behind her. She kept on moving, the coldness of the day was really getting to her, as her feet felt like they were already numb. Why? She forgot to wear her boots, and wore shoes where water could easily seep in. Her pace got a little faster. Her emerald green colored eyes kept straight ahead, keeping a sharp eye out for it was a foggy day and it was hard to see.

"Sei-chan!" A voice called out from behind the girl. She stopped walking and turned her head to the side just enough to see behind her. She scrunched up her eyebrows together as she knew who it was.

"Sei-chan! I've been looking all around for you! Where were you?" The girl came rushing up towards the girl now known as Sei. She caught up to Sei and stopped to catch her breath.

"Hitomi?" Once Sei saw Hitomi stop she started to walk away from her. She was maybe the only one who would talk to her this much. Everyday it was a constant greeting, then some chatting here and there, but Sei never payed attention to her. She considered her. Annoying.

"Eh? Sei-chan! Don't leave me, I have news to tell you!" Hitomi pouted to herself and began to run over to Sei. She knew Sei always acted like this towards her, but she never really knew why. All she really wanted to do was maybe start a friendly conversation and maybe after... Become friends?

Hitomi caught up with the brown-haired girl. She stayed quite, walking side by side with Sei, fidgeting with some sort of magazine like book in her hands. It was rolled up, and you could see part of a candy ad. Most likely that was the back of the magazine type booklet. They silently rounded a corner into a more lively area. All around, bustling people walked and ran towards work, while others decided it was a good day to skip. A day or two wouldn't hurt. It was still awfully silent between the two, and Hitomi, being the chatty kind of person, couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey, Sei-chan?" In response all she got was a glance towards her, but she decided to take that as an answer.

"Have you heard of the most popular game, "The World"?" In all but words Sei nodded to her question. "Well I heard they got a new controller, Its suppose to be the coolest one ever!"

"And your point?"

"Come on! Lets go check it out." Sei didn't speak and continued to trudge along the sidewalk. Hitomi sighed. She really wanted to check out the controller, but more importantly, she wanted Sei to check it out. She knew that the silent girl didn't like to play video games, but this was different. This was "The World". She would spend her weekends playing, her free time playing, and eventually her grades started to deteriorate. She didn't mind it a whole lot. Her parents would yell, she would just scream back. And she was sure damn proud.

"Sei-chan! Pleaaassseee!" Hitomi pleaded. She grabbed onto Sei's arm and pulled on it, almost yanking her from her feet. Sei stumbled a bit before regaining her posture. She stopped, and looked up at a store.

"Here." Hitomi let go of Sei's arm. She looked upwards at the store sign and gasped.

"Sei-chan!" Her eyes brightened slightly as she started to head into the store. Sei just stood outside. Hitomi saw that her friend wouldn't come into the store, she didn't want to go in alone, or else her plan would be ruined. She walked back over towards Sei and took her hand. "In Sei-chan, IN!"

**Inside Store-**

Hitomi browsed all around the store, looking at this and that. She really wanted to save the best for last. The thing she didn't like was that Sei was following her. Following her everywhere she went around the store. She knew something was up, something weird.

"First she talks to me, second she brings be to a game store, and third she's following me everywhere! This isn't like her.." Hitomi whispered to herself quietly. She couldn't risk being heard by Sei. Sei after all was a keen observer with superb hearing skills, the girl always did like to listen.

"Hey, Hitomi?" She looked back at Sei who was staring at nicely designed box.

_Ping..._

"Sei-chan?" Hitomi recognized the box immediately.

"Sei-chan! Are you interested in "The World"?"

_Ping..._

Sei couldn't hear Hitomi anymore. She unconsciously took the box to the counter and paid for it. When she got her receipt back, she took the box and ran out of the store.

"Sei?"

_Ping..._

She ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

Sei finally found herself in front of her house. Her hand was shaky as she reached for the doorknob, but she didn't hesitate when she opened it and slammed it shut. She kicked off her shoes and ran up towards her room, the box still in her hands.

"I must..." She entered her room. It was a small room, but it was extremely clean and neat. Sei tossed the box on the floor and walked over towards her computer. Before she reached her computer, she toppled over the box and fell flat on her face.

_Ping..._

"Aahhhh!" Sei cried in frustration. She couldn't stop the noises that were ringing constantly in her head, and it was driving her crazy. Its soft mellow pitch was disturbing while it held its own insane vibrations. She felt hollow and empty as she heard its nightmarish echo's.

"Stop..." Clutching her head she whimpered slightly, "Stop!"

It stopped.

The room went silent, and so did her thoughts. She pushed herself up from the ground up into a sitting position and turned her head towards the box.

"The World... Is it calling to me, or is it some trick my minds playing on me?" She stared at the box, glaring at its shiny design. "I must be hearing things..."

Sei arose and kicked the box. She heard some clanks as it was rolled over towards a corner. She didn't want to buy the stupid game that she had in her room. Hell, just from the game she lost most of her savings, and it wasn't her fault. She walked over to her bed and laid down on it, hugging her pillow. In just moments, she found her eyes wandering over towards the box. It was just their, almost waiting for her arrival.

"Forget about the damn game Sei!" She dropped the pillow and shook her head. She knew she couldn't forget that awful sound, and now all that was on her mind was the game. "Why. Why did I buy this?"

_Why?_

_Why **did** you buy it Sei?_

Her head shot up as she heard her name. She looked around her room to find that there was nothing. Nobody was home yet either.

_Why?_

_Why** did** you buy it Sei?_

This time she could of sworn somebody was in her room. Sei moved off her bed and walked around her small room. Her footsteps were slow and careful as she looked around.

"Who's there?"

_Why?_

"Come out! I know your here!"

_Why did you buy it Sei?_

"Stop playing jokes, and come out!"

_Why?_

"Ahhhh! Stop asking the same damn question!" Sei started to shake. She was scared, angry, and most of all, didn't know what to do. Her conscious told it it was a joke, while something else, deep down, was telling her that something was wrong. Very wrong, and it wasn't a pretty feeling.

_Why?_

"I don't know! How the hell should I know?" Sei walked backwards as she hit something with the back of her foot. She looked back behind her.

_You have it..._

"The World..."

_You can help me..._

_You can save me..._

_You can heal me..._

_You can restore me..._

"I..." Sei grabbed the box from the ground and tore the top open. Inside she saw a sleek blue controller, head mounting display, booklets, and the CD. Foam was nicely packaged holding the pieces in place. Sei picked out the items, but took out the CD last. She grasped it within her hands and walked to her computer.

Sei took the CD out of it's case and inserted it into her computer.

"Would you like to install the world now? Yes/No?" She used the mouse and guided it over to the "Yes" button and clicked. "Read this disclaimer..." She skimmed through the disclaimer and clicked the "Yes" button once again.

It started.

"Installing, Please wait..." She watched the installing meter rise. Her eyes stuck on the screen, dull and mesmerized.

"Installation complete, you may now start The World." She double clicked on the game icon and instantly a login screen popped up. She registered, clicking flawlessly, answering each and every question without hesitation.

Inside Sei was screaming. She didn't want to play. She didn't even know what was going on. Her body was reacting to, not her, but somebody else. She felt trapped, and helpless as she was being forced to play. And inside she heard the faint ringing of that horrid sound.

Her body reached for the headgear in the box and once she got a hold of it she placed it on her head, covering her eyes.

"Login: Sei"

"Password: "

She pressed the enter key.

There, in her room, her head fell against the keyboard. The computer screen in front of her was pitch black, and the computer ceased to make any noise.

_In the end, I got nowhere._

_For that reason I keep trying._

_But because of that I ended up here._

_Here._

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Horrah! It is complete, the first chapter to my story. I hope this goes well, cause truthfully I was never successful with stories. So wish me luck!

Review please!


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